Even though
the emphasis in battery research has shifted away from NiCd to newer technologies, the
NiCd battery continues to be one of the most used
rechargeable batteries. Over 75 million NiCd batteries were sold in the US during the year
2000. Market reports indicate that the demand of NiCd href="http://www.abatteryweb.com">batteries is expected to rise six percent per year
until 2003. The demand for other chemistries, such as the NiMH and Li-ion family, is
rising at a more rapid pace. Where will the mountains of href="http://www.abatteryweb.com">batteries go when spent? The answer is recycling. The lead acid battery has led the way in
recycling. The automotive industry should be given credit in organizing ways to dispose of
spent car batteries. In the USA, 98 percent of all lead acid href="http://www.abatteryweb.com">batteries are recycled. Compared to aluminum cans
(65 percent), newspaper (59 percent) and glass bottles (37 percent), lead acid href="http://www.abatteryweb.com">batteries are reclaimed very efficiently, due in
part to legislation. Only one in six households in North America recycle rechargeable href="http://www.abatteryweb.com">batteries. Teaching the public to bring these
batteries to a recycling center is a challenging task. Homeowners have the lowest return
ratios, but this should improve once more recycling repositories become available and
better environmental awareness is emphasized. Careless disposal of the NiCd is very hazardous to the environment. If used in
landfills, the cadmium will eventually dissolve itself and the toxic substance will seep
into the water supply, causing serious health problems. Our oceans are already beginning
to show traces of cadmium (along with aspirin, penicillin and antidepressants) but the
source of the contamination is unknown. Although NiMH batteries are considered environmentally friendly, this chemistry is
also being recycled. The main derivative is nickel, which is considered semi-toxic. NiMH
also contains an electrolyte that, in large amounts, is hazardous to the environment. If no disposal service is available in an area, individual NiMH href="http://www.abatteryweb.com">batteries can be discarded with other household
wastes. If ten or more batteries are accumulated, the user should consider disposing the
batteries in a secure waste landfill.
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